Soldier Andrii Petruk, call sign SILVER

I am an officer of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade.

Since 2016 I have been defending Ukraine in the Mariupol direction. For me this was never a question of choice. I have always believed and still believe that defending your country is the duty of every true man. By nature I am very cheerful and optimistic. I never liked to complain, even when things were difficult. My life motto is simple: “I am fine, no matter what happens.”

In March 2022, while carrying out a combat mission under artillery fire, I sustained a severe shrapnel wound to the left leg with an open fracture of the tibia. I remember not only the pain. What I thought about most was my parents, my loved ones, and my beloved girl. The hardest thing was realizing that I could not talk to them and tell them that I loved them. On April 11 I still managed to congratulate my beloved on her birthday, and the very next day I wrote her a farewell message. At that point it seemed to me that I would not return home alive.

On April 12, 2022, I was taken prisoner in Mariupol. Ahead were years that are difficult to describe in words. I survived the terrorist attack in Olenivka, then came the Kamyshyne detention facility. Due to the wound I could not walk normally — throughout that entire time I moved by hopping on one leg. But even then I tried to support my fellow soldiers. I joked, encouraged them, and would not let their spirits fall. I myself needed help, but I understood: if I broke down — someone else’s burden would become even heavier.

When almost no strength remained, I thought of my beloved. It was the thought of her that helped me hold on. I wrote poems for her, wrote songs, and dreamed of only one meeting. Every day I repeated to myself: “Hold on. This will all pass.” I was not broken. Not because I was not afraid, but because I very much wanted to return home. To my beloved, to my parents, to my family, to my friends, to my fellow soldiers. I did not allow myself to lose faith — neither in Ukraine nor in our people. I remained a marine officer. And simply a Ukrainian.

Today I am home. I am sincerely grateful to everyone who met us after our return. Those emotions are impossible to forget. It was then that I understood that we are not alone, that Ukrainians remember their defenders and support them.

Ahead of me is still a long road. Right now I am undergoing treatment and pre-operative rehabilitation. In August 2026 a complex surgery awaits me — corrective osteotomy of the tibia and arthroscopy of the knee joint. After it, a lengthy recovery will begin, which may last from nine months to a year, and possibly longer.

Due to the prolonged restriction of weight-bearing, doctors predict a struggle with inflammation, swelling, pain, and muscle atrophy of the injured leg. In addition, significant strain will fall on the healthy leg and the lower back. That is why they recommend that I have my own electrical muscle stimulation device. For me this is not simply a medical device. It is the opportunity to maintain the muscles every day, reduce pain, accelerate recovery, and undergo rehabilitation significantly more effectively.

I very much want to get firmly back on my feet again. I want to return to a full life, to be alongside my beloved, my family, and my friends. And most of all I want my life motto, after everything I have been through, to remain unchanged: “I am fine, no matter what happens.”

Thank you to everyone who will be by my side.

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The fundraiser for the electrical muscle stimulation device for Andrii Petruk has been successfully closed!

Thanks to each of you, we were able to close the fundraiser and purchase the electrical muscle stimulation device, which will become an important part of Andrii’s rehabilitation after his upcoming surgery and will help him go through the long path of recovery.

We also have another piece of good news. The supplier of the device, upon learning Andrii’s story and everything he had to go through, provided a special discount for our defender. This is yet another example of how humanity and caring are capable of doing great things. We sincerely thank you for this important gesture of support.

We thank from the bottom of our hearts everyone who supported this fundraiser with a donation, a share, or a kind word. Every contribution, regardless of the amount, became part of a great shared cause. It is thanks to you that Andrii received not only the necessary device, but also the feeling that he is not alone in his fight.

We would like to express special words of gratitude to Hugo Schorer, a citizen of the Netherlands. While celebrating his 80th birthday, he asked his friends and loved ones to support seriously wounded Ukrainian defenders instead of giving gifts. All the funds raised were transferred to our foundation, and a portion of them was directed toward helping Andrii.

Hugo Schorer, we sincerely thank you for your financial support of the rehabilitation of seriously wounded Ukrainian defenders. Your help is not only an act of great generosity, but a true ray of hope for Ukrainian warriors. It is proof that goodness has no borders, and that empathy and solidarity are capable of crossing thousands of kilometers, giving a chance for recovery, new steps, and a life without pain. Together we truly have the power to change the world.

Ahead of Andrii lies surgery and lengthy rehabilitation. We sincerely believe that this important step will bring him closer to full recovery, and that the support of caring people will continue to give him the strength to move forward.

We thank everyone who was by our side. Together we give our defenders not only the necessary help, but also the faith that after the most difficult trials, there are always people who reach out a helping hand.

 

COLLECTED AND TRANSFERRED: UAH 61,841